Extremely prolific performer/recording artist firmly in the Zappa/Beefheart mold and Professional Wrestling personality Zoogz Rift passed away yesterday.
From his son Aaron Rift:

It’s my unfortunate duty to report that my father Zoogz Rift died peacefully on March 22nd at 12:20 PM. His death was due to serious complications from diabetes which he had been battling for well over a decade. A memorial page is going to be worked on to showcase his talents from musician to artist to wrestling performer.

Back in the early-mid 80’s our paths crossed quite frequently and I enjoyed many shows by Zoogz and his band The Amazing Shitheads (video below). I even interviewed him for Unsound magazine. Despite his extremely obnoxious persona I always found him to be a really nice fellow. Sad…
 

 
With thanks to Danny Gromfin

This is so sad, his records were probably the weirdest records I had in my record collection when I was 15. Like a lot of people I bought everything that came out on SST at the time, and really loved his records on SST. Not to mention his pro wrestling career. What a giant loss.

Zoogs records were these mysterious beams from another universe. I had no idea he was a wrestler. Jeezus. I always imagined he was collaborating with Eugene Chadbourne or something through the zeros.
Thanks for reporting on this. Agreed, it’s a huge loss.

Another genius passes away.

Here is Zoogz in a wrestling promo eating Cowboy Bob Orton’s hat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCKydaslyBE

When Zoogz was cranking out music, I used to play every song of his that I legally could on my weekly show THE HOUR OF SLACK. Even the songs with profanity, I took the liberty of “bleeping” because tainted Zoogz was better than none at all. I still do the show, but rely on old reruns more and more, so Zoogz’ music is still out there, at least in SubGeniusLand. I am really sorry that his health was so hard on him, and that he didn’t get the recognition that he most needed, which was financial. He certainly got lots of artistic recognition from his friends in music. Our mutal friends all consider him a genius—no mere SubGenius. His intelligence could be intimidating, as was his blunt honesty. He will be missed by thousands more people than he ever got the chance to meet.

Too bad- the guy was a genius- wonderful, crazy,musical madness-

I’m one of those folks my husband, Rev. Stang referred to. I unfortunately never got to meet Zoogs. But I knew and really admired him through his music.

I am very sad to hear of his loss. My heart goes out to you, Aaron, and to everyone who loves and misses Zoogz.

Rift In Peace.

Long before I worked at SST Records, Zoogz played the grammar and high school dances in Parsippany NJ circla 73-74. He hung out with my friends older brothers. More Zappa influnced back then, he had a funny song called “Get You Wet”
I recall him showing up to perform in the dead of winter wearing shorts and a hawaiian shirt…

Stang -

I actually became acquainted with the Great Man’s music through HIGH WEIRDNESS BY MAIL…I bought WATER and have played it over and over again for the last two decades.

I miss him already, even though I never got to meet him.

Damn.  I knew him first as an active contributor on the more active Zappa USENET newsgroups, where he could be obnoxious and infuriating, and just as, if not more, often sweet and RIGHT.  I got to know his music later and was pleased at how much it was JUST like his online personality.

His health was an issue in his posts even back then in ‘96-‘00, as I recall.  I’m sorry to hear it finally got him; I kinda thought he’d beat the crap out of it for a good long time.

A great loss for Aaron and his mom, Laura, who was at Zoogz’s side for many years including all the recent ones. His music and art did not push the envelope because no envelope was used. He will always be looser than clams.

Skronk!

I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon with Zoogz about 13 years ago while on a trip through LA, and felt lucky to have had the chance to meet him. Along with Reverend Stang, Devo & a few other key figures, Zoogz Rift was a small but important figure in my transformation from timid weirdo-dom to full blown mutation. When I heard of his passing I opened a folder of his music on my laptop and let it auto-play on random. The first song to come up was “I Cheated Death”. I had to smile.

Joshua Samuel Brown
aka
Snarky Tofu

http://josambro.blogspot.com/

I was forever changed by writing bass parts for ZR.  WE were friends and stimulators.  ZR and I never believed in another place.  It is ok…we had this one together.
-Willie

Sad news. I remember buying Murdering Hell’s Happy Cretins back in high school and liking it so much that I eventually wound up buying about a dozen more of his records within the next few months. He was a great musician. R.I.P.

He was the real deal. 

I’m bummed out.

Dying: one final thing for the haters to accuse Zoogz of copying from Captain Beefheart.

Flow like water, Liquid Moamo.

I don’t hate. Zoogz welcomed the comparisons. He dedicated his first LP to Frank and Don in the liner notes after all.

I can’t say enough nice things about ZR. I’ll never forget the first time I talked to him on the phone (I was calling to set up an audition to be in the band), when after ten minutes he told me, “Okay, you’re in the band.” Just like that. Amazing. From that point on (1988), I played on almost every album that was released up until the last in 2001. I cherish the time we had together, and I miss him dearly.
Thanks for being you, Zoogz.
Tom Brown

Very sad news for everyone who knew and loved Zoogz’ music. Back in the late ‘90s, when Zoogz first started announcing his health problems, I was lucky enough to have some phone correspondence from him. He would talk for hours about stories from the road and his favorite Dadaists. It still means the world to me that he took the time. Once, when I came upon 10 copies of “Island of Living Puke” on LP, I sent them to all of my friends as Christmas presents. The title track was a rallying cry for me as I tried to escape the clutches of mid-Michigan and move to someplace where braincells were an asset, not a liability. I’m sorry to hear that health problems continued to tail him—as Ian said above, I always assumed he’d mended. Regards and well-wishes to Aaron and the rest of Zoogz’ family.

Destroy art before it destroys you!!

...I’d also like to point out that, from his new hiding place in the next dimension, Zoogz is in a much better position to overthrow the Secret Marines for us all. Give ‘em hell, Zoogzie!

His writings on Usenet in the late 1990s inspired me with his courage to go his own way.  Life-changing.  Really.  Amazing man.

I did a phone interview with Zoogz Rift in I think 1987 when I was in high school and on WICN-Worcester—I think the tape is lost to the ages, but I remember the interview being really long—like 45 minutes—I sure wish I knew where to unearth it.

SILENCED

Brad -
Zoogz was always very generous with his time and attention and genuinely interested and amused by us kids.  I think about the model he and others provided for us of what it means to be an adult, an artist.  His memory encourages me to look at the world just a little more sideways while looking at young people just a little more openly.
Take care,
Matt

Who gives a fuck. Zoogz was an rspw troll, an untalented fat obese redneck, and a bad Zappa rip off.

Good riddance to trailer trash

“Zoogz was an rspw troll”

Don’t know what “rspw” means.

“an untalented fat obese redneck”

He could certainly play guitar.
Big deal, he liked to eat.
He wasn’t a redneck.

“and a bad Zappa rip off.”

But Ipecac is probably better than any Zappa album, except maybe Hot Rats.

“Good riddance to trailer trash”

Again, he wasn’t a redneck.

Well done, Mannix

Oh, Christ. We can’t even escape Fake Chads on Dangerous Minds. Goddamnit, goddamnit, goddamnit… “that’s no way to talk!”

Mannix speaks for me, not sure what the difference would be between a bad or very good Zappa ripoff. Would love to hear this hater expound on that one.

@Jonathan - I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for that one. That was a comment from a random anonymous idiot pretending to be an infamous figure from one of the Usenet groups Zoogz used to frequent. A… stick with me here… “troll”, if you like.

@Nikita Oh okay, a person who is obsessed with meaningless shit like a Usenet group, got it.

Thanks Mannix, he wrote Island of Livig Puke for you.

I was casual friends with Zoogz back in the ‘80s, saw a bunch of his shows and interviewed him at least once. He was a true American artist, a stubborn idealist who spit in the face of compromise and made music for the ages, not the moment. Zoogz’s work could be hard to swallow at times, a genuine jagged little bill that contained real psychic nutrition and a necessary cultural emetic. He was insanely funny and at his core deeply moral. He lived by his own code and didn’t bend to fear or fashion. God bless the Liquid Moamo.

Verdugo Hills will never be the same.

I knew Zoogz over 40 years. He was the most extraordinary person I’ve ever met, a good friend, and a terrific father to our son, Aaron.

Zoogz Rift was absolutely uncompromising in his art, and one of a kind. He performed 17 times at my little record store / art gallery / performance place, Bebop Records & Fine Art in Reseda. He knew exactly what he wanted to do, and did it with an awesome ferocity. It was an honor to have known him.

It was a pleasure to know him. I’m sorry we had our misunderstandings. I’d like to see a gathering of people in his remembrance. Perhaps on his birthday?

Hey Rich !

Bebop Records in Reseda was a magical place. Thanks for all of the good times there !

Rich -
What I said above about Zoogz also goes for you and Rene.  Better to say it before the obituary!  Thanks for playing such a valued role in our youth -

Matt & Brad -
It was through you guys & Earth Dies Burning that Bebop connected with Zoogz, Richie Hass, and that whole scene. Many thanks - both Rene & I have always appreciated the doors you opened for Bebop.

he was a tard. And Aaron is a pedophile

Zoogz was a good friend and maybe the nicest person I ever met. And Chad Bryant, fuck you cocksucker.

Very sorry to hear this news. Zoogz and I started off badly together, but we made it up over time and traded tapes. i miss his ‘spirited discussions’ on the net. My sincere condolences to his family.—Mike

Rest in power, The Liquid Moamo.

Richard B., as an EDB alum, I second my brothers Brad and Matt’s emotion re BeBop—‘twas a completely transformative place for me and trailblazing for the culture. THANK YOU FOR IT.

Damn. I only found out today. I hadn’t heard from ZR in a few years, but not only did I get to meet him once in the late 1980s, I guested on “Murdering Hell’s Happy Cretins”.  Really sad to hear of his passing. ZR was a great guy. I gather he grew kind of recllusive towards the last few years, as I stopped hearing from him. I knew of his medical issues, but wasn’t aware of the severity of some.  Really miss the guy already.

For Mannix & Chad: have you nothing better to do than to trash a guy who can’t defend himself?  How big a scumbag you reveal yourselfs to be.  Not to wish anything bad on ya, but I hope you get struck in the heart 88 times by lightning, the ambulance has 4 flat tires and no spare, the doctor is a plague infested junkie with a 13 monkeys on his back habbit, as he uses a rusty scalpal to work on you, and may rabies infested skunks chew on your bloated bodies thinking they are already dead. Other than that, have a rotten day, a rotten year, and a rotten life.  Pick on somebody who can fight back, lowlife cowards.  How tuff you are to trash a guy who passed away.

Really will miss ya ZR.
“sgt” rich kunkel, usmfc

“Sgt” Kunkel -
As I read Mannix’s entry, it looks to me like he was quoting from Chads’ idiotic garbage, and then responding with a respectful defense of Zoogz.
Other than that, what you say about Chad is a bit lenient, if anything.

To R. Bruland & Mannix:

RB, you could be correct here.  If so, apologies to Mannix.  It so pissed me off to see anyone trashing ZR now that he isn’t able to fight back.
Caught up in the moment; so to Mannix, apologies from the Sarge. To Chad, you deserve to have a flaming porcupine shoved up your extreatory orifice - backwards.  DO US ALL A FAVOR and just shut the hell up on this exchange board. You do not go to a guy’s funeral to piss on his mourners.
Maybe when you pass on, it won’t be listed in the obituaries, but under Civic Improvement.  And it wouldn’t surprise me, Chad, if you have a lot of people show up at yopur funeral…give the people what they want, and they’ll show up.

ZR, miss ya, Daddyo!!!!!

To Chad
Everyone is a tough guy on the internet and the Marine brought up a good point you were a tough guy to someone who couldn’t defend himself. Be proud and tell your wife/girlfriend or children what a man you are.

Bringing the hyperbole down, great musicians didn’t agree to work with ZR for the money.  That would be a cosmic laugh.  Neither did they work for the lyrical shock value.  ZR’s work can’t be looked at in a one-dimensional sense.  It was music, but it was art.  His solos and rhythms were often soundscapes over the top of driving emotional strength from the other muscians (The song Torment was not noise in any way, it was carefully constructed under his guidance).  Frank’s work was music, ZR and Don’s was art set to music.
ZR composed music that was initially incomprehensible but when musicians worked in the greater idea of the composition made perfect sense.  It was a pleasure.
-W

Just wanted to extend my sympathies to Aaron and family. Zoogz was influenced by Zappa, Beefheart, and Dada….but his path was his own. His music delighted me, and his various Rants were some of the best…they had me in stitches.

R.I.P.  Zoogz Rift

Just happened to do a wikipedia search to see what he’d been up to the last few years, only to see this.  I recognize a lot of names on here from the old frank zappa USENET group, of which I was a member.  Definitely a personality to be reckoned with - he will be missed.

I can still remember my excitement when I first heard “Idiots on the miniature golf course” 20+ years ago. I just checked Google to see what’s up with the man when I read the tragic news and found this site. I hope that Zoogz & the Captain will have a great time up there…

Ah, the comment from alohadude brought back a similiar memory.  I, too, first heard of ZR on “Idiots”. But the story is a weird one. Somehow, about 100 LPs or so were mistakenly shipped to Ohio!  I used to hang out at Record Theatre, and one night after closeing, the assistant manager said ‘you have to hear this’ and put on “Idiots”. I was hoked and wanted to buy it on the spot!  But the register was closed so I had to come back the next day to pick it up!  I was that hooked. This would be early (June?) 1980, right after I bought my home.  For years after that I thiuoght ZR was a one shot wonder.  I used to do a lot of mail order vinyl back in the day and in 1985 or so I got a flyer from Moby Disc with SEVERAL ZR releases. Needless to say I ordered them.  “Interum” was the one I think with the Lou Albano referance and ZR’s address. I wrote him and that was it, a long and very fine friendship. Got to see him in 1987 on a California trip, very nice guy.  We corresponded regularily up until a few years when he simply dropped off the map. Heard a lot of reasons for that, includeing possessive controlling people.  As a ‘close personal friend’ I got to do a minor contributoin to the “Hell’s Happy Cretins” LP/CD. And had a chance to remaster some cassette stuff for him to reissue on CD. A high point for me to be sure!  So sad to know he’s gone. Aaron, if you’re out there, drop me a line: sgtrichusmfc@netzero.com   Got a story or two you may not have heard abut your dad, and maybe some material you haven’t heard.  ZR may not have been perfect, who is, but he sure seemed like one of the good people I have had the pleasure to know in my life.

Zoogz wasn’t an innovator. He sort of re-trod the pathsblazed by Mssrs. Beefheart & Zappa, as many have pointed out. But you know ... HE ENTERAINED ME. And he may just entertain you, too. I remember (sigh ....) when I first received my cassette copy of “Island Of Living Puke’ when I was seventeen-ish; never since OLD’s ‘Lo Flux Tube’ had an album captivated my fat teenage ass so. (Though it does seem, in hindsight, that Zoogz ws trying a little to hard to shock with that album (‘Idiots’, ‘Amputees’ & ‘Water’ are superior albums, IMO)).
Just find this man’s albums. Yeah,he comes off as Zappa/Beefheart’s punk little brother, but so what. If you like misanthropy, humor and punkjazzrock in your earslots, then Zoogz is your man.
RIP, Mr. Rift

Zoogz is a HUGE part of my SST “collection” I only today discovered his passing. Some of his works are only on vinyl, which is unique like the band and the music. I ALMOST got to see Zoogz play at Mr. T’s bowling alley. We sat with Jack Brewer and waited for him to show up but he did not feel well that evening about 5 years ago. Words like “mouth fulla choppers” and “impressing the Chicanos at the 7-11” are forever etched in my mind. RIP - love you…..........

Well well well - I get updates when new comments are added to this site.  So, to Chad B, what is your problem?  Do you get off attacking the defenseless dead?  Are you such a coward that you only attack those unable to defend themselves? Why use a site thaht is for people who are friends of Zoogz and like him? I have no ill will to you per se, but…..My you be struck in the heart by lightning 88 times, and have a tree fall on you while you are awaiting the ambulance, which has 4 flat tires and no spare after a six car pileup, with a junkie doctor in it with 5 monkees on his back and a rusty scalpal in his hand, as the clinic is burning down around you.  Otherwise, lotsa luck, may rabies infested shrews chew through your inexpensive coffin looking for something strange to eat after your premature burial. (Apologies to RF for most of that elequant saliloqy).  Pick on people who can defend themnselves, as I hope Aaron will do for the slanderous comments you officially posted.  If something bad happens to you every day of the rest of your pathetic life, it will not be enough.

To better topics, Stephen H….all of Zoogz vinyl releases should be available on CD.  The only exceptoins I am aware of are a track or two from maybe “Ipecac” and/or “Amputees In Limbo” that were somehow left off the CD issue.  Having helped ZR a tiny bit with some later remastering, I do believe that everything was available via his site. Not sure who is habdeling it now, hopefully somebody still is.  And too, I pesonally put together many ZR releases of unissued material for him several years before he passed away, maybe that will also see the light of day as well - pester those in charge if you want more material!  For me, ya can never have enough Zoogz!

sgt rich - usmfc

“Think more, party less.”

I remember Zoogz well from over 20 years ago - it was the start of Musical Tragedies and I felt and still feel incredibly privileged to release three of his album.
But more than that I will never forget that day we shot the live video at the Weikersheim Funfair and live at the W71 club. Even when the footage was boiled down to 90 or so minutes every second oozes the livly wit that differed Zoogz from us all. Thank you Zoogz.

I’m a fan. I also discovered Zoogz via his posts in the Frank Zappa newsgroup. We didn’t have much contact, but I enjoy his music and treasure the signed photo he sent me years ago.

It’s nice to see the comments his bandmates have made. My sympathies to his family and friends.